


The Summoning

by Rivenchu



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reapertale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-18 23:58:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5948160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivenchu/pseuds/Rivenchu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe it's not the best idea to summon Death...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Summoning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Renrink](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Renrink).



> After hearing about Renrink's AU this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. There's room for expansion if it's received well enough, if not it's a fine as a stand alone. Either way I hope you like it.

   The day fell into the nicer side of the scale, but skipping out of work to visit a friend always seemed push it that way. Even if it was just to float along as she held her hand out for him to see a small slimy creature inch along. Who would have guess one of Toriel's creation she enjoyed so much was such a tiny unimpressive thing?

   "Long ago a human culture believed them to be a symbol of rebirth." Life traced the top of the snail's shell. It was an interesting fact how culture had varied with her disappearance and companion's creation.

   "Weird choice." Blinking at the snail Sans snorted softly. He never had reaped one of those, perhaps Papyrus got them all? Usually it was people or a very determined being who got most of his attention. The creature just.. oozed? Pretty sure it lacked any sort of backbone.

   "But interesting." With a gentle pat Toriel placed the critter down onto a fallen log. It was a place she found them often and surely it would not mind being placed down in a favourite snail hot spot. Perhaps it too will find a friend.

   "..." Landing down on the ground Death narrowed his eyes and stared even more intently at it. Not sure what humans got the rebirth thought from when they saw the snail, nor what Life saw in it either. This wasn't the first time she had brought the humble creature's to his attention.

   "I think all the attention is making it feel speshell, hope it doesn't go to it's head or else there'll be conchequences." Straightening up Death shrugged, he still couldn't see the fascination the other god had with snails.

   "...pfft." Toriel covered her mouth as she tried and failed to contain a chuckle. That was a good one. Two? Yes, a good two pun for one deal. "I'll have to write those down later."

   Sans rocked back on his heels pleased by the response. Life's laughter was enough to drown out the whisperings. Why worshippers of death felt the need to communicate or worse with him was beyond him, trying to summon him must becoming popular again.

   Yes, it was always a smart idea to annoy death... whoo so much fun. So smart.

   Life began to walk again and heard the shorter god follow. She would have to loop around later to repair the damage but she didn't mind. Besides, she liked it better when he walked it felt more companionable that way.

   Though she suspected it wasn't out of laziness he floated most of the time, just not wanting to damage her home. Not that he'd admit it outright.

   Toriel glanced up at the sky. It was past noon though impossible to tell with the clouds clogging the sky. The chance of rain was high but not guaranteed. "Do you think it will rain?"

   "...at some point." Barely sparing the sky a look Death frowned. One of the whispers was steadily growing louder. That was never a good sign.

   "If it does you'll have to see the little shack I made. Nothing too fancy, just wood and stone but it has a lovely view." As much as she loved rain she didn't want to get soaked everytime it did. There was something about just sitting, watching, and listening to it was pleasing too.

   Sans nearly tripped. Not because he didn't want to follow, but he couldn't lift his foot up. Arms hanging by his side the god didn't need to lift his robe to see what his foot got caught on. Someone found the right way to get his attention. 'So much for having a nice day,' he thought pulling his hood down

   "It's just over the hill, not much farther." Toriel pursed her lips and looked over her shoulder unsure why her friend wasn't following. No sooner did she open her mouth when dark red flames burst from the ground and Sans seemed to drop into them and disappear.

   Oh.

   Covering her mouth in surprise Life hurried over and looked down at the burnt ground. She... She hadn't said something to offend him had she? He'd never let like that before. It was a terrible shame, she had been looking forward to showing off her new spot.

   With a sigh she let her flames fall to the ground and start repair the damage. The blackened area took a little longer to rebound than the usual lifeless brown and grey spots Death left behind. Toriel frowned as she began to trace her steps and coax her domain back into the familiar vibrancy.

   She couldn't help but wonder why those other flames looked they way they did. Death never summoned any kind of fire before. She would have to ask when she saw him next time, and apologize just in case she had upset him.

~*~*~

   Teleporting was like jumping, being summoned was like someone tying a taunt bungee cord to you and letting go. Being forcibly dragged through the place between all spaces was not his ideal choice of travel. It was true he used this place to teleport and to get to souls quicker, although he wasn't sure if Gaster had intended to give them this power when he was created.

   Under normal circumstances Sans would check to see how many bright pinpricks of light in the void there were. The more there were, the more work there was for him. Kind of like an everchanging night sky, and time slowed in the void between. How else could Death get to so many places, so many people, so quickly? Intended or not it was quite useful.

   It would be nice if he could just float around and slack off here, but staying in the void between was not a very... Bad things happened. There were just some things even gods didn't want to mess with.

   Reaching down at the rope-like blood red fire wrapped around his foot Sans pulled himself up surprisingly quickly. If he gripped the dark fire too long it would stick and he didn't want to get stuck in an awkward position. Doing nothing would just leave him facing the wrong way when he reached his destination.

   Normally he thought of himself as a deeply (deathly?) chill person, but getting summoned for the first time hanging upsidedown up and robes falling down and... Not a very pleasant experience. No one else quite remembered any particular summons, he'd made sure of that. It wasn't a good idea to laugh in the face of Death after all.

   The second summons wasn't much better. Common sense said he should have been able to hold the spot above his foot and cut through spell rope before it dragged him to the ritual circle. Then he'd when he learned the spell was impossible to cut through and that holding on too long gave it a chance to bind to whatever he touched it with. That time he fell flat on his face after almost slicing his own arm off with his scythe.

   Again, no one but him remembered that either.

   Holding onto the strand gingerly with one hand, his other summoned his largest and most impressive looking scythe. Glancing up Sans absently wished he could just cut the line and abort the whole process. At least they hadn't snared his brother, that was the only positive thing out of this situation.

   The light was rapidly growing now.

~*~*~

   The room was empty of furniture. The only sources of light came from numerous candles scattered around the edges of the room and the floor in the center of the room. Five figures dressed in a mismatch of red and black ceremonial clothes stood near the circular light in the middle of the room.

   The circle was glowing crimson. It had taken a long time to draw the arcane characters accurately and the circle perfectly round. Blood was more finicky then expected and any mistakes meant they had to start over. Against the fire they remained visible always a shade or three darker than anything around it.

   The chant was unbroken. Weeks of memorization and constant practice had paid off. This was the farthest they had even gotten, it was a challenge to contain their excitement. This was best result they had ever gotten. The spell was working, they couldn't tear thier eyes away even of they tried.

   Everything was going so well they had a feeling it would work. It had taken five sheep, but it was a pittance for seeing thier chosen diety in person. Perhaps he would be so pleased with thier devotion that they may get a wish granted from Death itself. It was what they hoped for.

   Bursts of the deep red flames errupted from the circle and a black cloaked figure rose from the center of the circle. The old desciptions held true from the weapon he carried with bony hands, to the simple robes, and barest hint of skeleton grin. The chanting died down as all watched in rapture and wonder. They had truly succeeded!

   Dark robes billowed until the flames died down and the conjured god straightened up and let the staff's end tap on the ground. No one could see his face, but it wasn't hard to guess which Death they had called.

   The circle's light flickered and died, the binding on the summoned's foot snuffed out soon as it was gone. A few moments passed as the mortals stared at their accomplishment. They even gasped as they saw their god reachout a skeletal finger gently poked the barrier containing him.

   A faint shimmer of yellow danced in the air, but it held. The action seemed to embolden his followers as excited murmurs. They had really shackled one of the most powerful beings in thier world!

   A figure in the the darkest of clothes worked up the courage and took a small step forward. Clearing their throat they began to address the bound god, "Death, we have called you here for-"

   "Knock knock."

   "Uh..." The leader trailed off unsure if this had been covered in the ritual. Wasn't Death impressed with thier summoning? Was he going to listen to thier requests? Technically they had called him so strongly that he was kind of trapped at the moment.

   "C'mon." Looking up with the ever present grin, the eyelights rolled before glancing around his worshippers. Shrugging halfheartedly at the silent reception Sans lifted a hand and gently 'knocked' against the barrier. "Knock knock."

   "...who's there?" A different follower spoke up and was furiously shushed by those around them. Thier highest ranking one was supposed to talk to thie diety since he had the strongest faith.

   "Deaths." The smile widened just a little more at their confusion over his jaunty banter. Ignoring the whispers, Sans rolled his eyes again and ushered with his hand. Really they should have expected a... morbid sense of humor from the whole situation.

   "Deaths who?" A different mortal piped up this time after half a minute.

   "Death's door." Rocking on his heels slightly the god tilted his head at the bewildered people in front of him.  
  
   Clearing his throat again for quiet the leader exerted his control again, "We have called you today on the old practices for-"

   "Y'know." Still smiling Sans took a deep breath and his eyelights disappeared. "Death's door is not a place most people want to be so," lifting his scythe to grip with both hands he deftly jutted the blunt end of the blade at the barrier.

   It shattered.

   Bits of gold light flickered as they blew out from the circle. Weeks... No months of work had amounted to naught and all the mortals gaped at the now free deity before them. The smile wasn't reassureing, the empty eyes unsettling... maybe... maybe it hadn't been a good idea to bring Death to them.  
  
   "I'd get running if I was you." Was all the sing song warning his followers got.

~*~*~

   Floating in corner of the house Sans signed and let his reaping tool dissolve. Glancing out a window he passed by he watched the lone survivor flee. Normally he'd cull everyone involved but the kid felt pretty innocent still, maybe he'd just been roped in. Either way a serious warning at the end of his scythe that if he saw the kid again before his time, it would become his time then and there.

   Maybe Toriel was rubbing off on him since he'd let one go?

   As for the rest it hadn't technically been their time but people needed to stop calling him like this. Maybe if these things didn't get passed off as mass cult crazies people would figure out beckoning Death was not a good idea.

   Wandering back to the summoning room Death leaned down and inspected the symbols. They changed slightly every time, but he didn't fully understand how mortals managed to get this to work. Over the centuries it seemed like the spell was improving. The first time there had been absolutely no barrier, and today had actually had to put in effort.

   A small barely even worth action to be called an effort, but still effort.

   "Mmng." Floating up higher the god growled this day was ruined. Pulling a small notebook out of his robes to jot down a few notes Sans shook his head.

   If he didn't get back to work soon Papyrus would start looking for him. If he worked efficiently maybe he could free up enough time to slack off and visit Toriel to make up for the lost time today. With those thoughts running through his head Sans winked out.

~*~*~

   It was ten minutes later from a small square closet door that a small child stepped out. They too had a small pad they wrote down in, the mimic action widened the smile on their face. Getting all the information they needed they stepped outside and stretched. Boy it had been cramped in there!

   A small gold flower popped up near their feet. "Get what you're looking for?"

   "A step closer. Maaaybe in awhile... But I think it'll be worth it." Tapping their chin thoughtfully Chara stood there. Chaos had no set path, but there were always different ways to liven things up. Sometimes it just required a little planning.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all liked it, comments are highly encouraged. :3 They motivate me the most~


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